Virginia State Police Special Agent Eric Van Fossen, who coordinates the task force, said the undercover drug deal took place outside the York County discount store about 5:30 p.m. He said the "big hunk of crack cocaine" agents were sold was wrapped in a large plastic bag and was valued at $8,400.

Friday's operation was the culmination of an investigation targeting two suspected Newport News crack dealers. In two previous deals, agents purchased nearly an ounce of the drug from the men, Van Fossen said.

Three men were arrested on felony charges of distribution and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine following Friday's bust, Van Fossen said, adding that additional charges are pending.

Van Fossen did not identify the men by name because "they may be of assistance to us or someone in that crew may be ultimately be of assistance to us."

The suspected Newport News dealers usually work as a team but only one showed up Friday, Van Fossen said. That man was arrested after a short foot chase across Victory Boulevard that ended at a nearby hotel where officers found the man hiding in a closed kitchen.

The second suspected dealer was arrested at his home about 3:30 a.m. Saturday.

Van Fossen said the third man arrested was a cocaine supplier police did not expect to be involved in Friday's deal -- he escaped after ramming a police car with his own vehicle and was later arrested at his mother's Hampton home. *